


the river flows freely between two kingdoms (and the queens do too)

by Ashling



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Drabble, Female Friendship, Friendship, Gen, father christmas: im givin you a dagger but dont use it cause battles are ugly when women fight, lucy: ...susan im borrowing ur bow, that's canon babey, three drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-19 11:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22610080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashling/pseuds/Ashling
Summary: They bring out the best in each other.
Relationships: Lucy Pevensie & Aravis Tarkheena
Comments: 9
Kudos: 28
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	the river flows freely between two kingdoms (and the queens do too)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [frausorge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/frausorge/gifts).



Aravis barrels through Cair Paravel like a windstorm, catches Lucy up in her and carries her along. Lucy loves it, and Aravis loves it too. Before, there was always something in Aravis that had been disciplined and ironed into adulthood by way of noble elegance, and while it fed Aravis's hungry ego plenty, it seemed to cut into her too, like wires tied tight round a growing sapling. But Lucy, Lucy's always been young and always will be, it seems, at ease, open, and ready for a laugh. She makes it look it easy, and just like that—it is.

The explanation could be as simple as "Cor is an ass," or as studiedly polite and dignified as, "King Lune of Archenland sends his warmest regards and news of our common enemy." Sometimes Aravis takes a long time to thaw, but no matter; sooner or later the two of them will be on horseback, tearing through the fields, breakneck and grinning fiercely. On a quieter day it's Calormene coffee and and leisurely reminiscing with Hwin and long-shot archery, but those are pretty rare; it usually takes at least one good gallop to settle Aravis down, as if she's part-mare herself. 

When battles come, as they always come, they're the better at their work for how hard they've been playing. Nothing's sweeter than saddlebag apples eaten at midnight when Aravis, wracked with insomnia, sneaks into Lucy's tent. They should be grave, but they're giddy with anxiety; they smother giggles even while dressing in the morning. When battle comes, there's better than laughter: certainty. They know the measure of each other; each counts the other's bravery as her own. Afterwards there is a little wine, and the refreshment of night air, and old, old stories of the families they've lost and found.


End file.
